Kurusu Kimihito has lived this day before—and he has watched everyone he loves die.
When he wakes on the morning of April seventh, trembling and drenched in sweat, he knows what's coming. Miia's arrival. The red rain. The Glow. The night that, decades from now, will still haunt his every waking moment. He survived it once, carrying nothing but regret for the girls he couldn't save. Then he died.
And then he woke up. Six in the morning. The same date circled in red pen on his calendar. A second
Monster Musume: Rewriting the Fates of Despair - Shadow of the Guardian Bureau: The Learning Monster and the Night of Secrets
Morning light slipped through the gap in the curtains.
Kurusu Kimihito woke on his bed. He stared at the ceiling. White. Empty.
His body felt heavy. The chill of last night's rain still lingered deep in his bones.
He reached for the phone by his pillow. The screen lit up.
6:38 AM. April 9th.
The third morning since Miia arrived.
Kimihito slowly sat up.
(Last night, I fought again.)
The northern part of the city. Red rain. Glow. And that shadow.
An Alteration — something not in his memories of the future.
Kimihito traced the old scar on his left wrist with his fingertip.
(Because I changed the future, this enemy was born.)
(It's my fault.)
His stomach tightened.
He took a deep breath.
"It's okay. I'll figure something out."
He said it out loud, to convince himself.
It was a habit the future memories had taught him. In the future, he'd said these words over and over.
And over and over, he'd failed to protect anyone.
Kimihito got off the bed.
Cold floor. A chill spread across the soles of his bare feet.
He left the room.
The hallway air was still cold. April mornings were always like this.
He headed for the kitchen.
Halfway there, his feet stopped.
Miia was asleep on the living room sofa.
Her long serpentine body coiled across the cushions. Her vivid red hair caught the morning light, glowing softly. Her golden eyes were closed. Pale skin peeked through the gaps of her thin cardigan.
Lamia were cold-blooded. Their body temperature didn't rise in the morning, and their movements slowed.
In his future memories, Miia had always been bad with mornings. She'd curl up on the sofa and refuse to get up.
Kimihito approached quietly.
He looked at Miia's sleeping face.
Peaceful.
Different from the face he'd seen last in the future.
That Miia had been soaked in blood, cold to the touch.
Kimihito closed his eyes.
(No. She's alive now.)
(This time, I'll protect her.)
He opened his eyes.
He gently draped a blanket over Miia's shoulders.
"...Nn."
Miia stirred slightly.
Kimihito held his breath.
But she didn't wake. She hugged the blanket closer and resumed her quiet breathing.
Kimihito exhaled in relief.
He headed to the kitchen.
He opened the fridge. Six eggs. Milk. Vegetables. From yesterday's shopping trip.
He grabbed a frying pan. Lit the stove.
Oil sizzled.
He cracked the eggs.
In his future memories, every time Miia tried to make breakfast, it ended in disaster.
So he always made sure to get to the kitchen first.
The eggs solidified white in the pan.
A good smell spread through the kitchen.
"...Daaarling?"
A voice came from behind him.
He turned.
Miia was peeking out from the living room. Her red hair was slightly mussed. Her golden eyes were still drowsy, half-lidded.
"Morning, Miia. Did I wake you?"
"Nope. The smell woke me up."
Miia slithered into the kitchen, her serpentine body undulating.
"Smells so good... Is Darling making breakfast?"
"Yeah. Almost done. Sit down and wait."
"Okaaay."
Miia sat in a chair at the dining table. Her snake lower half stretched lazily across the floor beneath.
Kimihito plated the eggs. Toasted some bread too.
"Here you go."
"Wow! Thanks, Darling!"
Miia smiled happily.
Kimihito sat across from her.
They ate breakfast together.
It was a peaceful time.
In his future memories, there had been many times like this.
And they had all been lost.
"Darling."
Miia set down her fork and stared at Kimihito's face.
"What?"
"Your hands are shaking."
Kimihito looked at his right hand.
His fingertips were trembling faintly.
Aftereffects of last night's fight. He'd overused his precognition. The back of his skull still ached.
"It's just a little cold."
He wrapped his trembling hand with the other.
"Really?"
Miia tilted her head.
"Darling, your hands were shaking yesterday too. And you came home soaking wet."
"I just got caught in the rain."
"...Darling."
Miia stood up.
She slithered over to Kimihito's side.
And wrapped both her hands around his.
Miia's hands were cool. Cold-blooded — her body temperature was low in the morning.
But somehow, that coolness was comforting.
"Darling, your worries are my worries."
Miia said it with steady eyes.
Her golden eyes sparkled in the morning light.
"You're hiding something, aren't you? I can tell. You've had this pained look on your face the whole time."
Kimihito was at a loss for words.
The future memories flashed back.
Red rain. Black mist. Red eyes.
And Miia's hand, motionless.
Cold. Cold. Cold.
"...It's nothing."
Kimihito looked away.
He couldn't look at Miia's face.
"Darling."
Miia's voice wavered, a little sad.
"I want to be there for you. Because I—"
She stopped herself.
Her cheeks flushed faintly.
The tip of her tail wriggled restlessly.
Watching her, Kimihito felt something tighten in his chest.
(She's so honest.)
(That's exactly why I have to protect her.)
"Thank you, Miia."
He gently squeezed her hands back.
"But really, it's nothing. I'm just a little tired. Sorry for worrying you."
"...Really?"
"Really."
Miia stared at his face for a while.
Then she smiled softly.
"Okay. But don't push yourself too hard. If you collapsed, I wouldn't know what to do."
"Yeah. I promise."
Kimihito put on a smile.
Inside, he was thinking something else entirely.
(Sorry, Miia. I might not be able to keep that promise.)
(But to protect you, I'll push myself as many times as it takes.)
Breakfast was over.
Miia stood to clear the dishes.
"I'll wash them!"
"It's fine. I'll do it."
"You always say that. Let me do it sometimes."
Miia puffed out her cheeks.
Kimihito smiled wryly.
In his future memories, letting Miia wash the dishes had cost several broken plates.
"Alright, I'll leave it to you then. But be careful."
"Leave it to meee!"
Miia happily wiggled her tail.
Kimihito moved to the living room.
He sat on the sofa.
Picked up his phone.
Opened the news app.
"Localized red rain in northern Amagasa City — Guardian Bureau responds; no civilian casualties confirmed."
Last night's battle was in the article.
Kimihito scrolled.
"According to the Guardian Bureau, the red rain was Level 2. Several Glow appeared but were all repelled thanks to the swift response of Guardian officers."
(Swift response, huh.)
Kimihito remembered last night's fight.
He'd fought alongside a Guardian named Makabe.
Makabe was a veteran who wielded a Resonance Blade.
(Back then, one of the Glow cut ahead to my landing point.)
(Like it was reading my movements.)
Kimihito furrowed his brow.
In his future memories, Glow weren't that smart.
They were just monsters that rampaged on instinct.
But last night's Glow were different.
Ambushes. Coordination. Cutting ahead.
Like they were learning how we fought.
Alteration.
A new type of Glow that didn't exist in his future knowledge.
(Because I changed the future, they were born.)
(And they're learning from my actions.)
A chill ran down his spine.
"Darling, what's wrong? You look pale."
Miia peeked out from the kitchen.
"It's nothing. Just reading the news."
"News?"
Miia slithered over and sat beside him.
She peered at the phone screen.
"Red rain... Darling, is this from yesterday?"
"Looks like it."
"...Darling, where were you yesterday?"
Miia's voice dropped slightly.
"Shopping. I took a little walk at night too."
"A walk at night? In that rain?"
"I only got caught in the rain on the way home."
Kimihito answered without meeting her eyes.
Miia stared at him.
"...Darling, if you're hiding something, I want you to tell me. Because I—"
"Miia."
Kimihito cut her off.
"Really, it's nothing. Don't worry about it."
Miia bit her lip.
Her golden eyes glistened.
"...Okay."
She nodded slightly.
Then she forced a smile.
"Then today, I'll make dinner! Darling, what do you want to eat?"
"Eh—"
Kimihito frantically searched his future memories.
Miia's cooking.
A mysterious sauce made of Worcestershire, ketchup, and sweet glaze mixed together.
After eating it, his sense of taste had been off for three days.
"Uh, um, I'll cook today. Miia, could you just handle the boiled eggs?"
"Just boiled eggs? That's not enough."
"No, I'm in the mood for boiled eggs. Your boiled eggs are delicious."
He spoke quickly.
Miia's boiled eggs were the only dish she could make properly.
"Darling said he wants to eat my boiled eggs!"
Miia's face lit up.
"Got it! Then I'll master the boiled egg!"
"Yeah. Please do."
Kimihito breathed a sigh of relief.
The morning passed leisurely.
Watching TV with Miia, talking with her.
In his future memories, this kind of everyday life was supposed to last forever.
But it hadn't.
Kimihito glanced out the window from time to time.
The sky was blue.
But he didn't know when it would turn red.
Early afternoon.
His phone suddenly rang.
He looked at the screen.
"Amagasa Guardian Bureau."
His heart pounded.
"...Hello?"
"Kurusu Kimihito, correct? This is the Amagasa Guardian Bureau."
A man's voice on the other end.
"Emergency contact. Red rain has been observed near the purification facility in the northern part of the city. Glow have appeared. Please head to the scene immediately."
"The purification facility... Understood. I'm on my way."
"Please. Guardian Makabe is already en route. Meet up with him."
Makabe.
The man he'd fought alongside last night.
"Roger."
He hung up.
"Darling? Who was that?"
Miia was watching him with worried eyes.
"...The Guardian Bureau. I have something to take care of."
"I'm coming too!"
"No. It's dangerous. Stay home."
"But—!"
"Please, Miia. Stay here."
Kimihito placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I'll definitely come back. I promise."
"...Absolutely?"
"Yeah. Absolutely."
Kimihito left through the front door.
He broke into a run.
North through the midday city.
He looked up at the sky.
The northern sky was beginning to stain faintly red.
(It's coming again.)
(Alteration.)
Kimihito clenched his fist around the old scar on his left wrist.
He arrived at the scene.
The purification facility was a large factory-like building in the northern part of Amagasa City.
Normally, it treated the city's wastewater.
Now, red rain poured down around it.
The sky was stained an eerie red.
Raindrops hit the ground, forming red puddles.
The air was lukewarm and humid.
The smell of rusted iron stung his nose.
Kimihito spotted a man near the facility entrance.
Makabe.
A Guardian of the Amagasa Bureau.
A man in his mid-thirties with a solid build. Short-cropped black hair. Sharp eyes. Stubble. A Guardian uniform under a black coat. A Resonance Blade at his hip.
"Kurusu, you made it."
Makabe spoke in a low voice.
"Yes. What's the situation?"
"Three Glow. Behind the facility. Their movements are strange."
"Strange?"
"Yeah. They're watching us. Like they're lying in wait."
Kimihito's breath caught.
Same as last night.
The Glow were ambushing.
(They're learning.)
(They're learning from our actions.)
"Let's go. I'll take the front. You support from behind."
"Understood."
The two circled to the back of the facility.
The rain grew stronger.
Red rain blurred his vision.
"...There they are."
Makabe stopped.
Kimihito stopped too.
Behind the facility.
In a wide parking-lot-like space, three Glow stood.
Bodies of black mist. Red eyes. Amorphous silhouettes.
Standard-type Glow.
But their movements were clearly abnormal.
The three formed a triangular formation.
Like a deployment meant to surround them.
"...What's with that movement?"
Makabe drew his Resonance Blade.
The blade glowed pale blue.
Resonance.
The anti-Glow combat ability used by Guardians. A technique to resonate one's soul frequency with a weapon.
"Here they come!"
One of the Glow moved.
Black mist lunged at Makabe.
Makabe swung his Resonance Blade.
Pale blue light sliced through the black mist.
GYAAAAAA!
The Glow let out a death cry.
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